Planning permission has been refused on the site of the Creeslough explosion in County Donegal.

Donegal County Council had previously approved an application to redevelop a service station on the site where 10 people died in 2022.

Shauna Gallagher, whose sister Jessica died in the explosion, told The Hard Shoulder that this latest move is “a step in the right direction”.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there is another planning application submitted by the people that own the site,” she said.

“But in terms of the emotion for all of us, we’re all relieved that this step that happened with this particular one has been turned over.

“But, you know, we don’t really know what’s coming in the future.”

People pay their repects at the memorial on honour of those that died in the Creeslough explosion a year ago, 07/10/2023. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie

Ms Gallagher said she felt it was inappropriate to redevelop the site when the investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

“There’s been no ruling as to what had happened, that was the main issue,” she said.

“We didn’t want anything to continue on the site until we knew why our family members were dead.

“The other issue we had with where they had proposed to put the memorial garden, it just looked like somewhere that you put bikes at the back of a shop.

“It was just a very small square of grass and didn’t really hold value or hold enough importance for the lives that were lost there.”

Future plans

According to Ms Gallagher, the site should not be redeveloped until the investigation is completed.

She said she doesn’t think Creeslogh will ever be the same again following the incident.

Top row, left to right: Leona Harper, Jessica Gallagher, James O'Flaherty, Robert Garwe, Shauna Flanagan Garwe
Bottom row, left to right: Catherine O'Donnell, James Monaghan, Martina Martin, Hugh Kelly, Martin McGill

Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, 14-year-old Leona Harper, Jessica Gallagher, Martin McGill, James O’Flaherty, Martina Martin and Hugh Kelly were those killed in the explosion.

Main image: 10/10/2022 Boyle construction workers at the devastating scene at the Apple Green Garage (Petrol Station) and damaged apartments where Ten people died in the Explosion tragedy in Creeslough, County Donegal. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie